Hurricane Andrew was a truly monstrous storm. Blasting south
Florida with gusts of more than 175 mph and spawning tornadoes
of even greater ferocity, it left a path of indescribable
destruction. Andrew's full force hit Gateway West community
in Florida City, leaving the 124-lot neighborhood in ruins.
But there were a few exceptions.

Of the community's ten Palm harbor homes, eight came through
with damage no more serious than broken windows and lost shingles
and lap siding. The ninth home's sidewall was partially collapsed
by a neighbor's flying refrigerator, and the tenth was destroyed
by a direct tornado hit.

No other manufactured homes weathered the storm as well.
And, while we're thankful that such disasters are rare, we
are also proud that out homeowners had this extra measure
of security. As one resident put it, "Look around our
community. It's obvious there is no comparison between Palm
Harbor and the other homes."

Hurricane Andrew (above) was the most expensive natural disaster
in the history of the United States. It caused damage estimated
to be near $25 billion, and in Dade County, Florida alone
it left over a quarter of a million people homeless.